Mechanical toy



H. J. MELVILLE MECHANICAL TOY Feb. 14, 1933.

Filed Oct. 22, 1929 Patented Feb. 14, 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICEHERBERT J. MELVILLE,

F CHICAGO, ILLINOIS MECHANICAL TOY Application filed October 22, 1929.Serial No. 401,401.

" Any mechanical toy attracts greater attention or is more readily soldwhen it is animated. There have been many eiforts to produce mechanicaldolls, animals, insects, and other objects which have a motionsimulating walking whereby the device is made to move about in a more orless regular manner, such movement, of course, being controlled to someextent by the character of the material or surface over which ittravels.

Included in the objects of the present invention, among others, are thefollowing A new and novel means for causing propulsion of a mechanicaltoy. l

New and novel means for imparting to the supporting legs of a toyphysical movement without direct connection to a prime mover attached tothe toy.

A unique application of clockwork to a toy whereby the feet thereof aremoved without direct connection with such clockwork.

A unique arrangement of a motor and the feet of a mechanical toy.

A novel combination of a pendulumk and feet in a mechanical toy wherebythere is had movementof the toy because of a pendulum operating toindirectly impart alternate movements to the extremities projecting fromthe toy.

inafter appear, are obtained by the novel construction, uniquearrangement, and improved combination of the several elements whichconstitute the single embodiment of the ini vention illustrated in theaccompanying i drawing, in which:

Figure l is a side elevation of the mechanical parts of the toy with allcovering material removed.

Figure 2 is a horizontal section through such parts on the line 2-2 ofFigure V1; and Figure 3 is a reduced perspective of one form which thefinished toy containing such mechanism may take.

Like reference characters are used to desig# nate similar parts in thedrawing and in the description vof the invention hereinafter glven.

The device comprises a transverse frame ymember 10 which extendslaterally and provides, as will later be explain-ed, a guide member forthe legs of the device. Secured to said transverse frame 10, in anysuitable manner, is a front frame member 11 which is U-shaped, andlwhich may provide a support for a head rest holding member 12 which 50may project forwardly of the mechanism as shown. This part may beomitted as is here,-

inafter suggested. Y i Intermediate and secured to the two side of theU-shaped member 11 is disposed a clock mechanism which is designated, asaunit,

13 and which comprises top and bottom plates 14 and 15, end members 16and 17, a mainspring 18, a train of gears 19, and a second, train ofgears 20. By these trains of ,gears'm Vthe force of the spring 18, whenunder tension, is transferred to a shaft 21 which is journalled in theplates 14 and 15. For tensionlng the spring 18, which is upon the shaftg 22, there is a key 23, which may be integral '45 with said shaft ordetachable, as desired.

Across the top plate 14 or across the top leg of the U-shaped member 11,is a second transverse frame member 24, comprising a bent wire member ormetal strip which projects to approximately the same points as the framemember 10. Adjacent each end )are shafts, these being designated 25.Dis- These, and such other objects as may heref posed forY free movementupon the frame member 24 are two leg members 26, one for 85 each side ofthe device. The leg members 26 lare adapted to project through slotsprovided therefor in the member 10, these slots being indicated by theordinal 27. Y

At the lower end of the members 26 are feet 90 28 which may be of anysuitable size, but no larger than is necessary to give to the devicestability during the walking operation.

The slots 27 should not be too long to avoid giving to the object anungainly stride orv permitting of such a stride as will produce tilting.As a matter of fact, these slots should be relatively short because fofthe greater proportion of the leg 26 projectingr 100 below the framemember 10.

,plates 14 and 15.

The legs 26 swing freely upon the axle 24 and freely through the slot-27, there being no undue friction between these parts. The reason forthis free movement will be immediately manifest.

At the front of the device and disposed upon a lug 29 which provides a pivot therefor is a pendulum. The weight 30 thereof is at the end of arod 31 which swings freely about the pivoting lug 29. Said lug 29 mayassume any suitable form or shape and should be securely fastened at thefront end of the frame 11. This lug is normally disposed adjacent thetop of the front section of the U-shaped frame member 11 and should be'in the geometrical vertical center thereof.

It is desired that the pendulum 30 swing to the right and left of thedevice in an .arcuate path, stopping at the end of each swing with aslight jerkin order to lift the opposite side of the machine with itsfoot from its supporting surface and force the device slightly forwardat the lifted side to permit of the leg 26 on that side advancing whilethat portion of the device is elevated.

To obtain oscillatory movement of the pendulum 30, there is secured tothe frame member 11, a bar 32, the bottom end which provides an axle orsupport for a hub 33. Mounted upon the hub 33 in a horizontal plane isan L-shaped lever 34 having at its outer end an aperture 35 throughwhich the .pendulum stem 31 passes freely, being held therein withoutundue friction.

At its other end, the lever 34 is provided with a lug having a head, thellug being designated 36 and the head 37. The purpose of .the head 37 isto prevent accidental displacement from lever 34 of a link 38 having anenlarged end provided with an elongated slot 39, the lug 36 projectingthrough said slot 39.

The enlarged end having the slot 39 is adapted -to ride freely upon thelug 36.

The opposite end of link 38 is pivoted at 40 to a lever 42 which maycomprise an integral part of the shaft 21 j ournalled in the Theconnection 43 between the lever 42 and the link 38 is such that there isno undue friction of these parts. Each rotation of the shaft 21 producesa complete rotation of the lever 42, reciprocating the link 38.y Thelinear motion of the link 37 over one part of its travel is adapted toactuate the lever 34 in one direction and in the reverse direction tomove the lever 34 back to its original extreme position when moving overthe other part of its travel.

Y The slot 39 in link 38 compensates for the differences in movementbetween the lever 42 and the lever 34. The slot 39 is of such lengththat movement of lever 34 is had only at the time the link 38 hasapproached the ends of its opposite movements, this giving to the member38 a sharp movement followed by a slight rest of the pendulum wheneither of its extreme positions is attained.

This intermittent actuation of lever 34 allows the leg 26 on the sideopposite from that of the pendulum to advance because of the shifting ofthe weight to the side of the device upon which the pendulum ispositioned causing a slight tiltingvof theV device to that side, suchmovement being accentuated by the jerking motion resulting` from thevibration vof the pendulum itself.

Thus, when the clock mechanism 14 is Wound, the spring motor 18 setsinto motion a pendulum 30.. lVhen the pendulum 30 swings to the left, itthrows much of the weightof the device to that side, tilting the deviceslightly and exerting a slight turning force to the right which edect isnoticeable except under careful scrutiny.

As the pendulum l30 restsat the limit ofi Vits movement to the left withthe device momentarily tilted the leg 26 on the right side advances toits frontmost position in the arcuate path 27.

At about the instant said leg attains such position, the pendulum 30begins to swing to the right. `When the pendulum 30 reaches the righthand extremity of its movement, the weight of the device is shifted tothe right, withthe same jerking motion referred to before. `This permitsof the left foot advancing to its foremost position. Thus, the feet 26are made to alternately advance. This advance' is accentuated by forcingthe pendulum to swing vin an arcuate path. The device continues toadvance on alternate feet until the spring motor 18 has run down.

In the present instance, Figure 3 shows the device in a metal orothercasing 50 having the form of a duck. Any other conventionaly design maybe adapted. Grotesquegures may be substituted for conventional designsand one of the novel figures of this type is an animal or bird with itshead hanging downwardly, the head moving with the pendulum 30. Thisgives to a device so arranged a most unusual appearance as the pendulumswings the head to the side as the toy advances.

Iclaim:

1. A mechanical toy comprising a body, a prime mover in said body, meansactuated by saidV prime mover for tilting said body from side to side,and a supporting member free from any operative connection with saidprime mover andy pivotally mounted upon each side of said body andadapted to advance longitudinally of said body 'coincidentally with eachtilting. movement of such side. 2. A mechanical toy comprising a body,

a motor in said body, means actuated by said motor for tilting the toy,and a `leg pivoted to said toy to move freely longitudinally andforwardly of said body coincidentally with such tilting movement, saidleg being free Cil of any operative connection with said motor.

3. A mechanical toy comprising a body, a spring motor in said body,means actuated by said spring motor for tilting the toy, and a legmounted for fre-e movement longitudinally of said body and adapted tomove coincidentally with the tilting of said toy, said leg being free ofany operative connection with said motor.

et. A mechanical toy comprising a body, and means in said body fortilting the toy from side to side and legs freely pivoted to said toyand adapted to advance alternately and normally of the direction of thetilting movement, said legs being free of any operative connection withsaid tilting means.

5. A mechanical toy comprising a body, means in said body for rockingthe toy tr-ansversely, and legs freely pivoted at opposite sides of saidtoy and adapted to advance normally of the direction of the rockingmovement and one at a time coincidentally with the rocking of the toyand as an incident to the inertia of such rocking motion, said legsbeing free of any operative connection with said rocking means.

6. A mechanical toy comprising a spring motor, a pendulum actuated bysaid motor, and legs pivoted at the sides of said toy and free toadvance coincidental with the rocking of said toy due to the movement ofsaid pendulum, said legs being free of any operative connection withsaid motor, the advancing movement of said toy undei the influence ofsaid pendulum being in the nature of a twisting tilt.

7. A mechanical toy comprising a body, a spring motor disposed therein,a pendulum moving transversely of said body and actuated by said motor,and legs pivoted at the sides of said body free to advancecoincidentally with the torsional rocking movement of said body due tothe movement of said pendulum, said legs being free of any operativeconnection with said motor.

8. A mechanical toy comprising a body, a spring motor disposed therein,a pendulum moving transversely of said body and actuated by said motor,and legs pivoted at the sides of said body back of said pendulum andfree to advance coincidentally With the rocking of said body under themovement of said pendulum whereby said body is adapted to be slightlyturned as an incident to the rocking thereof, said legs being free ofany operative connection with said motor.

9. A mechanical toy comprising a frame, a spring motor mounted therein,a pendulum swinging transversely of said frame and actuated by saidmotor, and legs pivoted at the sides of said frame at the rear of saidpendulum and free to advance one at a time coincidentally with therocking of said frame under the mov-ement of said pendulum Whereby eachleg alternately becomes a pivot for the frame and the opposite leg islifted from the toy supporting surface, said legs being free of anyoperative connection with said motor.

l0. A mechanical toy comprising a frame, a spring motor disposedtherein, a pendulum moving in an arcuate path transversing said frameand actuated by said motor, and legs pivoted for free movementlongitudinally of of said body at the sides of said frame Whereby toadvance coincidentally With the rocking of said frame under the movementof said pendulum, said legs being free of any operative connection Withsaid motor.

11. fA mechanical toy comprising a body, a spring motor disposedtherein, a pendulum moving in an arcuate path transversely of said toyand actuated by said motor, there being connecting means between saidmotor and said pendulum to give to the latter a jerking motion, and legspivoted at each side of said toy and back of said pendulum and mountedfor free movement to advance longitudinally of said body coincidentallywith the rocking of said toy from one leg to the other under the jerkingtransverse motion of said pendulum, said legs being free of anyoperative connection with. said motor.

l2. In a Walking figure, the combination of a body member and motordriven means upon said body member for imparting a to and fro lateralswaying motion thereto, with gravitating leg members transverselypivoted upon and supporting said body member, said leg members beingadapted to alternately advance by gravity when lifted to simulatewalking.

13. A mechanical toy comprising a body, a spring motor in said body,means actuated by said motor for rocking the toy, and legs pivoted toopposite sides of said body and free to advance one at a. timetransversely of the direction of the rocking movement of said toy, saidlegs being free of` any operative connection with said motor.

HERBERT J. MELVILLE.

